Like the traveller on the previous review I was also unsure of what to expect about the Amari Watergate Hotel. We were offered a great deal with a travel agent with 2 nights for the price of 3, which for 3 nights in a 5 starhotel for £150 seemed criminal to refuse!
After making the booking we then checked out the hotel online and it looked great. We were not dissapointed.
The Amari is set in Bangkoks main commercial area with 3 of the largest shopping malls within walking distance (however, if walking in 95% humidity across frogger style traffic isnt your style a taxi to the furthest shopping mall - the Siam Centre is 40bahts (75p)
The hotel provided us with a free taxi from the airport
which was clean and airconditioned and it whisked us away to the foyre of the hotel in about 40 minutes, we were received at the hotel with absolute gratitude, people rushing to take our bags, opening doors and generally being angels to my sister and I that had been travelling for 25 hours, jet lagged and grumpy due to lack of nicotine.
Check in was easy. We were pre-paid and just had to hand in our voucher, we were asked if we would like a smoking or non smoking room but there was a problem because we wanted a smoking room - there were none available in the class of room we had paid for ... no problem said the reception staff, we were upgraded to a Deluxe room (larger, more recently decorated and on a higher floor) FREE of charge, we couldnt quiet believe it as this kind of thing doesnt happen to me and Lyns !
Our room was on the 28th floor and I cannot fault it. It was the largest hotel room I have ever had and having stayed in other large cities (New York, Paris, London etc) was double the size of any room I have had anywhere else in a 5* . The room was spotlessley clean with two king size beds with beautiful thai silks as drapes and bed clothes. The lighting was ambient and controlled by a panel by the bed. The bathroom was large and beautiful marble with a large walk in "wet room" shower AND a bath ! The toilet was separate to the bathroom which was great in the mornings when rushing to get ready (2 girls sharing a room what more can i say!) The bathroom goodies were great .... including nail files and RUBBER DUCKYS!! There was a fab reasonably priced mini bar - where they trusted you to pour bar measures from a full sized bottle of Vodka / Whiskey etc. 2 large bottles of drinking water are provided free of charge everyday. There was a fridge which was brilliant for keeping milk / extra water.
The aircondtioning (which believe me is important in Bangkok) in the hotel was great, easy to control, and was never "too cold" although there was "frost bite" setting if you wanted it! The temperature in the coridoors / food areas was also just "right"
There were several restraunts at the hotel, the best being Henry J Beans - fab atmosphere, fair prices, excellent thai and american style food and smoking areas for us naughty people. Locals seemed to come in to use it so there wasnt that stale hotel bar atmosphere. There was also an Italian, Thai and Chinese restraunts. We didnt try them as they always seemed to be empty and were "hotel prices"
There is a lovely swimming pool on the 8th floor with a bar that again was very quiet and great for a refreshing morning swim, you could even have your breakfast at the poolside bar.
So, any negatives, really there is only one. The Amari is in what is considered to be the "commercial" area, so it really is shops, shops and shops. There really isnt much going on of an evening, and you might feel as if you are not staying in the REAL bangkok as the area is very shiny and full of malls, however there is a great night market around the back of the hotel which throws you head first into the steamy humid bangkok street life. The traffic around the hotel is also MEGA - dont expect to be able to cross a road unless you fancy a night in A&E, there are "sky walks" 100 metres or so from the hotel - but we were getting taxis all over so didnt discover them until the last day.
In an nut shell this hotel is great, immaculately clean, attentive staff, good area if you are wanting to shop until you drop. The rooms are great, and if you can get a good deal like we do i would definately suggest the Amari for a taste of luxury in one of what I think is one of those most stressful cities on earth - you will need it!
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The only thing that lets down this review is the various spelling errors; maybe you could run a spell check before posting your reviews? As for BKK hotels, you really have to watch out with the air-conditioning settings in the rooms, I know many people who have ended up catching cold due to the temperature differential between the inside and outside! Also, about the nightlife, you can always get on the skytrain for 30 baht and go to a more 'lively' part of town, after all the MBK and other malls in that area are hardly 'nightspots' by any definition! Solid review :)
thecrowe 30.08.2007 14:37
Excellent review. Especially liked the "Frogger style traffic" part, made me laugh.
HotBlonde 30.08.2007 00:00
Sounds like you got spoilt in the bathroom department and the reat room... fab outcome... geat review - 25hrs travelling arghhhh ohh dear - lynsey
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